Job stress major factor in earlier ‘midlife crises’

People in their late 30s and early 40s are the unhappiest in society, according to a new report from Relate, and problems in the workplace are a major determining factor.

Relate’s report, “The way we are now”, published in association with TalkTalk, gathered responses from more than 2,000 people about the state of relationships in the UK, and found some sobering statistics.

As well as finding that 35- to 44-year-olds were the loneliest of any age group, with more than one-fifth (21%) saying that they feel lonely a lot of the time, nearly one-third (30%) thought that shorter working hours would improve family relationships.

On a more positive note for employers, 60% of respondents across all age groups reported that they have formed lifelong friendships through work and 43% of people state that their career is a source of satisfaction.

Claire Tyler, CEO of Relate, said: “One of the striking things about this report is the results for people in their late 30s and early 40s. It’s when life gets really hard – you’re starting a family, pressure at work can be immense and increasingly money worries can be crippling. We cannot afford to sit back and watch this happen. The ensuing effects of relationship breakdown on society are huge, so it’s really important that this age group has access to appropriate and relevant support, be that through friends and family or other methods such as counselling.”